Iowa City to celebrate a new place to park bikes

Bike Downtown Day

Iowa City Downtown — Friday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 a.m.

Photo via City of Iowa City

Iowa City will unveil a new sculptural bike parklet Friday morning on the corner of Washington and Dubuque Streets. The grand reveal festivities of Bike Downtown Day will start at 7:30 a.m. and include free breakfast and bike-related giveaways.

The 25-foot long, 8-foot tall bike rack will spell out the word P-L-A-Y in bright colors with a top section “akin to monkey bars,” according to a statement by OPN Architects. It will occupy a space next to the US Bank building that was previously a loading zone.

“The design recognizes Iowa City’s community identity by marrying three functions — public sculpture, community playground and bicycle parking — into one structure. It makes a bold statement with an iconic structure that will create memorable experiences for all ages,” according to the architecture firm’s statement.

Photo via Iowa City Downtown District

According to the request for proposals sent out earlier this year, the city had allocated $20,000 for the design, creation and installation of the parklet.

Iowa City aspires to be more bike-friendly. A strategic plan memo from February included the goal of raising Iowa City’s Bicycle Friendly Community status from Silver to Gold by 2017. The memo also mentions future aspirations to reach the coveted Platinum status, which only five communities throughout the country have achieved. No community has yet reached the exalted Diamond status.

The League of American Bicyclists, which awards the bicycle friendly rankings, currently ranks the state of Iowa 28th nationally among bicycle friendly states. Seven Iowa communities have received bicycle friendly awards, but only Iowa City scored high enough to get a silver; the rest are bronze.

The parklet is part of the city’s efforts to improve bicycle friendliness and infrastructure, according to a city news release. The city is also working on updating its Bike Master Plan, adding more bike lanes and repair stations and expanding its trail system.

For those interested, a parklet is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a small seating area or green space created as a public amenity on or alongside a pavement, especially in a former roadside parking space.”

Post navigation

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment *

Name *

Email *

Website

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment

Little Village is supported by:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

40 Years Forward:

A Celebration of Empowerment & Hope

Deb Talan of "The Weepies" will begin our night of celebration with a story of survival, empowerment, and hope told through words and song. Join us in remembering our past and envisioning the future at the Coralville Mariott.

A collaboration between The Englert Theatre and FilmScene

Help us build the greatest small city for the arts in America—right here in Iowa City. Learn more »

Strengthen • Grow • Evolve is a collaborative campaign led by two Iowa City-based arts nonprofits, The Englert Theatre and FilmScene that seeks a major reinvestment to strengthen the arts through modern and historic venues, innovative programming, and new models of collaboration.